Helping Hands: C of O basketball games to aid cancer patients

College of the Ozarks Bobcat men and women basketball teams are joining Skaggs Foundation to raise money and awareness for the fight against cancer at the two teams' basketball games Jan. 29. Annually, this program raises more than $1,000.

"The money raised at the basketball games benefits patients at CoxHealth Cancer Center in Branson," Skaggs Foundation President Rodney Arnold said in a press release. "Many times patients need assistance paying for their cancer treatment because they either don't have insurance or are under-insured. Fundraisers such as this provide scholarship money to help pay for that life-saving treatment."

As part of the campaign, the College of the Ozarks Bobcat women will wear pink shirts and the men coaches are leaving the dress shoes at home and will sport tennis shoes at the game.

During halftime of each game, anyone donating at least $30 will receive a free cancer awareness shirt. Free admission will be given to fans wearing pink and to cancer survivors who identify themselves at the front entrance. After the women's game, breast cancer survivors in the audience will be invited to center court and presented pink shirts.

Both teams are playing against Oklahoma Wesleyan University. The women's game starts at 5:30 p.m. The men's game is scheduled to begin at 7:30.

Salvation Army near fundraising goal

With less than two weeks left to go in the Tree of Lights Christmas Campaign, the Salvation Army reported in a press release donations are up about 4 percent from this time last year.

The Salvation Army has reached approximately 96 percent of its $1 million fundraising goal. To date, $963,819 has been donated. Funds received during the annual Tree of Lights Campaign allow the Salvation Army to provide vital programs and services to thousands of Ozarks residents.

Last year, the Salvation Army provided more than 110,000 meals to the hungry, assisted 11,500 local residents with social service programs and distributed nearly 7,000 bags of food to families and low-income senior citizens.

Financial donations can be made online at www.onlineredkettle.com/springfieldmo-ozarkarea, mailed to the Salvation Army, P.O. Box 9685, Springfield MO 65801-9685, or made over the phone by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY. All donations stay in the communities where they originated and will help residents in Greene, Christian, Taney and Stone counties.

The Tree of Lights Christmas campaign officially ends Jan. 31.

Do you have stories of Ozarkers helping out each other? If you or your group is holding a fundraiser, donation drive or church benefit, for example, email information to webeditor@news-leader.com. Include contact information. Emailed photos are accepted but please send only one.

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Helping Hands: C of O basketball games to aid cancer patients

College of the Ozarks Bobcat men and women basketball teams are joining Skaggs Foundation to raise money and awareness for the fight against cancer at the two teams' basketball games Jan. 29.